Strainer-equipped condensation drainer



April 28, 1953 c, w, CLAIR 2,636,506

STRAINER EQUIPPED CONDENSATION DRAINER Filed April 11, 19510000000000000 000000 00000 000000 00000 000000000 22 cooooocoo 000000000000090000000 77 000000000 00000000 000000000 OO QO O QEETJFFB' 5TINVENTOR. C mm as W 52? CLAIR Arromveys Patented Apr. 28, 1953STRAINER-EQUIPPED CONDENSATION DRAINER Char-res W. St. Clair,Painesville, Ohio, assignor to The Coe Manufacturing Company,Painesville, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 11, 1951,Serial No. 220,478

This invention relates to condensation draining devices for the removalof condensate from pipe lines or other apparatus to which steam or vaporis being supplied. More particularly, this invention relates to acondensation drainer of the continuous type embodying a permanently openflow contro1 orifice and which is an improvement over the drainersdisclosed in United States Patents 1,950,227 granted March 6, 1934 and2,020,563 granted November 12, 1935.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcondensation drainer of the type embodying a permanently open orificeand a Strainer for preventing clogging of the orifice, and in whichnovel mounting means is employed for positioning the strainer. in thedesired location.

Another object is to provide an improved condensation drainer of thecharacter mentioned in which the novel mounting means permits thestrainer to be readily removed for inspection or cleaning and rendersthe strainer self locating when being replaced, and in which the closuremeans for the strainer access opening will always have fluid-tightengagement therein and W111 insure proper positioning of the strainerregardless of repeated removal and replacement of such closure means.

A further object is to provide an improved condensation drainer of thekind above referred to in which the strainer is an open-ended foraminoussleeve and the mounting means comprises axially spaced internal annularseat means engaged by the ends of the sleeve and having a selfcenteringeffect thereon. i

The invention can be further briefly summarized as consisting in certainnovel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described andparticularly set out in the claim hereof. I

In the accompanying sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 is an outside e1evationa1 view showing a condensation drainerembodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the drainer ofFig. l, substantially on the vertical longitudinal mid-plane thereof;and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section corresponding with a portion ofFig. 2 and showing the strainer and the strainer mounting means onalarger scale.

As representing onepractical embodimentof the invention, the drawingshows the improved condensation drainer I as comprising ametal body orhousing ll having an inlet portion 12 1 Claim. (Cl. 137177) through areceiving chamber 23.

and an outlet portion IS. The inlet portion I2 is provided with an inletpassage M for admitting condensate or a mixture of condensate and steamunder pressure and is adapted to be connected with a pipe coil or othersteam using apparatus as by means of the conduit 15. The outlet portion!3 is provided with an outlet passage it for the discharge of condensatefrom the drainer and is adapted to have a discharge conduit 11 connectedtherewith for conducting the condensate to a hot-well, waste drain orother disposal place.

The inlet portion of the drainer I0 is also provided with a condensateand sediment collecting chamber l8 which is formed by a pair of seriallyconnected, laterally adjacent branch portions comprising a down-flowbranch portion l9 and an up-flow branch portion 20. These downfiow andup-flow branch portions have their lower ends connected by a shortconnecting passage 2|. One of these branch portions, preferably thedown-flow branch l9, constitutes a strainer chamber in which a strainer22 is mounted by the novel strainer mounting means to be describedhereinafter.

The inlet passage I 4 can, if desired, be connected directly with thedown-flow branch I9 but as shown in Fig. 2 is preferably connected withthe upper portion of the down-flow branch This receiving chamber islocated directly above the downflow branch l9 and is separated therefromby an intervening transverse wall 24 of the housing H. The lower end ofthe receiving chamber 23 is connected with the upper end of thedown-flow branch I9 through a relatively short connecting passage 25 ofthe wall 24.

The o tlet portion of the drainer i0 is provided with an evaporat ngchamber 26 and a dischar e chamber 21. The dischar e chamber 21 isdisposed in an upright laterally adjacent relation to the up-flow branch2!] of the inlet portion of the drainer. The outlet passage I6 is inopen communication with the discharge chamber 2! for conductingcondensate freely therefrom. The evaporation chamber 26 is anintermediate chamber ha ing port ons thereof located above the up-fiowbranch charge chamber 21.

The flow of condensate through the drainer I0 is controlled by anorifice fitting 28. and a tube 29, which are mounted in transverse wallportions 30 and 3! of the housing H. The Orifice fitting 23 contains apermanently openedrestricted flow control orifice 28 forming a con- 20and the dis-' necting passage between the upper end of the up-fiowbranch 20 and the evaporation chamber 26. The tube 29 has a permanentlyopen passage 29 which connects the evaporation chamber 25 with thedischarge chamber 27.

For convenience in inspecting or replacing the orifice fitting 28 andthe tube .28, the housin U is provided with suitable openings :32 :and.33 located above these members and which are normally closed bysuitable screw plugs 34 and 3.5.. The discharge chamber 21 is providedat the lower end thereof with a drainopening 3'6 is normally closed asby means of a removable plug 37.

In the operation of the improved drainer iii, a mixture of condensateand vapor under pressure is supplied to the collecting chamber I8through the receiving chamber '23 and the-passage 25. The vapor suppliedto the receiving chamber 23 comes in contact with the extensive internalwall surface thereof and is condensed into liquid which "unites withthecondensate entering through the inlet passage 44 and flows directly intothe collecting chamber 48 through the passage 25 and-the down-flowbranch 1-9. Before passing into the up-flow branch 2'8 through theconnecting passage 2!, the condensate must travel through the screen '22by which scale, rust or other sediment will be removed and preventedfrom causing clogging or abrading of "the GIifiBE fitting 28.

Under the pressure of the steam of the conduit iii, the condensate isforced upwardly into the up-flow branch 2i) and is discharged throughthe orifice 23 into the evaporation chamber-26 from which the condensateflows downwardly through the tube 29 into the discharge chamber '2 andthen out into the conduit ll through the outlet passage 15.'Thecondensate-which collects in the chamber :58 and that which isforced .upwardly'in the upflo.w branch 29 forms a liquid seal for-theorifice fitting '28 to prevent steam from being wastefully dischargedthrough the orifice 28 and the passage 12 52 of the tube :29. The :flowf condensate through the orifice fitting 28 ;a somewhat pulsating flowbut nevertheless :a :more or less continuous how by which thecondensatewill be effectively removed from the apparatus served by the drainer110, at substantially the rate pf production of such condensate. The:theory of operation for this type of drainer .is 'descrihed in greaterdetail in the above-:mcntioned earlier Patent No. 1,950,227.

The novel mounting -means for the strainer :22 constitutes an importantpart .of this invention and will be described ,next. As shown .in Figs.2 and 3, the strainer 22 is an ,elona-gted, tubular strainer orforaminous sleeve eXtendi-ngaXial-ly in the down-flow branch 49 of thecollecting chamber 13. The lower .end of the idown fiow branch I 9 isprovided with an opening .38 through which the strainer 22 can beinserted or removed and through which condensate and sediment can bedrained from the collecting chamber l8. The opening .33 is provided withan internal screw thread which, for the purposes of this invention, is atapered pipe thread, and is adapted to be closed by a plug as havingstem portion .35 also provided with .a tapered pi e, thread and engagingin such opening.

The strainer 22 is positioned in the down-flow branch is y th n age entof the ends of the strainer with upper and lower seat means provided. onthe wall 25 and on the plug 39. As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, theupper seat means for the strainer 22 comprises a substan- 4 tially fiatannular surface 40 provided on the underside of the wall 24 insurrounding relation to the passage 25 and adapted to be engaged by theupper end 22 of the strainer. The upper seat means also includes arelatively short substantially cylindrical internal annular locatingsuriace Al .locatedimmediately adjacent the flat seat mill and which maybe formed as a counterbore extending into the wall 24. This internalannular surface 41 snugly embraces the upper end 22 of the strainer andpositions the same in the downefiow branch 19. Additionally, the upperseat means includes a tapered approach portion leading to the internalannular locating surface A! and defined by an upwardly converging inter-.nal annular tapered surface 42.

The lower seat means for the strainer 22 is formed on the plug 39 whichsupports the strainer in the down-flow branch 19. The stem portion 39 ofthe plug is provided with an axial recess 43 which receives the lowerend 22 of the strainer. The upper portion of therecess 53 comprises arelatively short cylindrical portion defined an internal annularlocating surface 54 of the stem 39 -of the plug. The lower end 22* ofthe strainer extends into the cylindrical portion of the recess4-3-andis snu ly embraced by the internal annular surface 43. The lowerportion of the recess 33 is a tapered portion defined by a downwardlyconverging internal annular surface 45 which forms a supporting seat forthe lower end 22 of the strainer.

When the strainer 2-2 is to be assembled into the housing H its lowerend .22" is inserted into the recess 43 of the plug 39. The strainer andplug assembly thus dormed is moved upwardly axially :of the strainerchamber 19 and during which movement the strainer 22 is inserted intothis chamber and the threaded stein portion 353 of the plug is screwedinto the opening 38. The strainer 22 is .of :a length such that when theplug 3S has 'been tightly engaged in the opening 38, theupper end 22 ofthe strainer will engage the flat .seat and the lower end 22' of thestrainer will :engagezthe tapered seat 65.

During the insertion hi the strainer 22 into the chamber i9,the'upperendof the strainer will automatically center :itself by theguiding action thereon of the tapered approach portion 42 such that theupper end 19f the strainer will quickly come into proper engagement withthe seat it without jammin During the tightening of the p t-1e35, thismember will lift the screen 22 so as to press and retain the upperendthereof against the seat ill! and the tapered lower seat 25 will exert aself-centering action on the lower end of the screen. By reason of themounting means iust described .above for the screen 22, it will be seenthat this member ,can .be easily and rapidly assembled into the housingH and will .result in the screen being always correctly positioned andretained in the housing.

Because of the tapered pipe thread provided in the opening 38 and on theplug 39 this plug, when tightened in the opening will always .form afluid-tight closure therein. Repeated removal andreplacement of the plug39 will result in some wear on the threads, but the tapered shape of theplug causes this wear to be taken up by the plug moving somewhat.iarther into the opening 38.. Such further movement of the plug intothe opening 38 to always form a fluid-tight closure therein is permittedby the intervening space provided .between the housing I l .and the headof the plug. So far as the strainer 22 is concerned, this increasedinward movement of the plug 39 into the opening 38 is accommodated byrelative sliding between the lower end of the strainer and taperedannular guide surface 55 of the plug.

From the accompanying drawing and the foregoing description, it will nowbe readily understood that this invention provides an improvedcondensation drainer of the continuous type which embodies a strainerand novel mounting means for such strainer. Since the orifice passage ina drainer of this kind may be of very small diameter such as couldeasily become clogged, the strainer and the strainer mounting meansrepresent an adjunct of real importance. It will also be seen that byreason of the novel strainer means herein provided, the assembly of thestrainer in the drainer can be very easily accomplished and the locatingand retention of the strainer in the proper position is always assured.Although the novel strainer mounting means provided by this inventionhas been illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent,it will be understood of course, that the invention is not to beregarded as being limited correspondingly in scope, but includes allchanges and modifications coming within the terms of the claim hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: A condensation drainercomprising, a housing having an inlet portion adapted to be connectedwith a source of condensate and vapor under pressure and an outletportion including a low pressure outlet chamber, said inlet portionhaving therein a vapor chamber and a condensate chamber in laterallyadjacent relation and an upright strainer chamber connecting the lowerend of said vapor chamber with the lower end of said condensate chamber,the lower ends of said strainer and condensate chambers forming a pocketfor the collection of condensate and sediment and the lower end of saidstrainer chamber being provided with an opening, means defining apermanently open restricted flow control orifice connecting the upperend of said condensate chamber with said outlet chamber, a transversewall in said housing between said vapor chamber and said strainerchamber and forming an upper strainer seat, a substantially cylindricalinternal annular locating surface in said strainer chamber immediatelyadjacent said upper strainer seat, an upwardly converging internalannular surface in said strainer chamber forming a tapered approach forsaid locating surface and upper strainer seat, a closure plug engaged insaid opening and having a recess in the upper side thereof surrounded bya Wall defining an upwardly convergent axially tapered lower annularstrainer seat, and an open-ended substantially cylindrical strainerextending axially in said strainer chamber and supported therein by saidplug with the upper end of said strainer engaging said upper strainerseat and embraced by said annular loeating surface and the lower end ofthe strainer extending into the recess of said plug and engaging saidtapered lower strainer seat, said tapered approach and said taperedlower seat being eifective on said strainer for centering the sameduring assembly thereof in said housing, said opening having an axiallyinwardly converg ing tapered pipe thread therein and said closure plugalso having an axially converging pipe thread thereon for fluid-tightengagement with the pipe thread of said opening, said closure plug beingmovable into said opening for an increased distance to compensate forwear on said pipe threads.

CHARLES W. ST. CLAIR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 675,711 Brophy June 4, 1901 738,088 Vauclain et al Sept. 1,1903 986,678 Bordo Mar. 14, 1911 1,687,292 Grant Oct. 9, 1928 1,950,227Chevalier Mar. 6, 1934 2,020,563 Moore Nov. 12, 1935

